Reactivated
by Karen Hart
Summary: A rewrite of Activation, which centers on KOSMOS's startup on board the Woglinde.


**Reactivated**

By Karen Hart

_Disclaimer: In no way do I own any part of the Xenosaga series, nor do I make any money from this or other fanfictions. I write these stories for love of the game(s), nothing more._

Author's note: This is a rewrite of my first Xenosaga fanfiction, Activation, in which KOS-MOS was somewhat OOC (a little too organic). I'm leaving both versions up for comparison. Hopefully I've improved in the last two years.

* * *

_System startup._

_Target confirmed by D.S.S.S. sensor._

_Run autonomous program._

_Execute._

_KP-X operational system…online. Motor control abilities…online. Security bindings…offline._

None of them heard the soft click of the bindings being released, distracted as they were by the blaring of sirens and the almost hypnotic display of the startup countdown that was some ten minutes too slow, though Togashi profanely noted the release on his monitor. They used codes that no longer worked, ran programs that did nothing, punched their consoles in despair and gained minor bruises for their effects.

_It's got to be the Chief_, Allen Ridgeley hoped desperately. That had to be it. There was some sort of trouble and Shion was forced to activate KOS-MOS. Except that there was no word from her and she was loathe to start up the android. So there went that idea. "This isn't possible! Why _now?_" he hissed, frowning as the numbers on the clock continued decreasing.

So if it wasn't possible, then what was it?

Another alarm joined the cacophony, all but insignificant among the mayhem in the lab, blaring out its warning in the form of a four short wails repeated endlessly, a signal that would've make the scientists' blood go cold—had they not already had their hands full.

"Try and overload it!" Allen barked at the other engineers. In some remote corner of his mind he approved the quick efficiency of his coworkers as they got right to work. Couldn't say they didn't know how to work under pressure. The other corners of his brain seemed to be babbling incoherently.

Basil turned half about in his seat, defeat and horror written on his features. "No good, the levels aren't changing!" So much for that idea. Allen dropped his face into the palm of his hand, shaking it in disbelief. They were screwed. There was nothing they could do. They were absolutely—he looked up suddenly, vision going gray and red with the sudden movement.

"Try and contact the Chief! We'll see if she can use the shutdown command! I'll see if I can slow the countdown a bit, buy us some time!" He focused on his task, fingers flying as he tried to increase the time remaining on the clock. Like everything else, it seemed to be a fruitless endeavor. He heard a frustrated groan somewhere behind him, and turned.

"It's no good! The normal channels are congested and I can't reach her!" The poor new guy was frazzled. "Try the emergency line!" Allen suggested. Had to keep them all focused, god please don't let this get any worse. So of course, it did, a fact he realized when he heard the catchy jingle of Shion's UMN phone. _I swear I'm going to kill her_. The uncharitable thought flashed across his mind, chased away by confusion as the lights blacked out. "What the?"

Togashi took a step forward, somehow managing not to hit anything in the near pitch. "I don't know. The power was just—" Suddenly they wished for the flashing lights and sirens to return.

_Service module security lock…released. Opening maintenance hatch._

_Engaging motor control systems. Executing physical motion engine._

They watched in awe as she lifted herself—itself, it was a thing, not a person—from the maintenance bed, a task that seemed to happen in slow motion, the soft whirring of its limbs just barely discernable in the silence, as was the frightened prayer coming somewhere from Allen's left. _Hope they hear you._ Allen kept the thought to himself.

_Disengaging Encephalon visual interface. Switching to stereoscopic feed._

_Potential targets detected. Confirming targets. …Targets confirmed as Vector personnel, First R and D Division. Targets reclassified as Nontargets Priority A._

_Vector personnel…incomplete. Searching. Not located. Searching. Target acquired. Target reclassified as Mission Objective A._

_Searching mission objectives. Searching local area. Located target for Mission Objective B._

_Proceeding with Program 02: Maintaining safety of Vector personnel._

All them started quaking as the android began its advance, some of them using their fellow workers as shields. Togashi looked as if he were attempting to escape the room by osmosis. It stopped, then, a few feet from Allen.

_Initiating lingual program._

"Allen Ridgeley, Assistant Chief of the KOS-MOS Project, Vector Industries, First R and D Division." KOS-MOS spoke tonelessly, waiting only a moment for Allen to confirm the title with a nod. "Gnosis have attacked this vessel. It is my assigned duty to ensure the lives and safety of the Vector staff members on board the Woglinde. I will proceed to escort you to an escape vessel. Please follow me to the adjacent hangar."

Allen blinked. They weren't dead? She—_IT, Allen!_—wasn't going to kill them all? He licked his lips nervously, looking at the others, only to find them staring back at him in wild-eyed confusion. They were no help. "W-well, you heard her." _Damn it_, he thought, _pick a pronoun already!_ "Grab up your Connection Gears and UMN Phones. Leave non-essential items behind. They can be replaced. Come on, let's get out of here," he said with far more courage than he felt.

Amazing, the pandemonium that followed.

_Program 01 initiated. Escorting Nontargets Priority A to escape vessel. _

_Scanning vicinity for hostile presence. Hostile presence not found in nearby vicinity._

_Connecting to Woglinde communications systems. Accessing time stamp of last emergency communiqué._

_Determining distance and speed-of-response by nearest available vessel. Determined._

_Assessing predetermined escape craft. Assessment: Training ship optimum for mass transport of Vector personnel._

_Commence boarding assistance._

"I have reprogrammed the vessel's navigational computer. Your destination is coordinates JX337, Y040, Z739. A Federation vessel will be moving to assist the _Woglinde_ on that heading." She turned to Allen, who hung back from the training ship's open hatch. "Please board this vessel. The current window of opportunity for escape is decreasing rapidly. The AGWS forces and this ship's weaponry are nearly depleted. Please hurry."

He found himself shaking his head. "But the Chief—"

"Chief Engineer Shion Uzuki has been located. Once this craft is launched I will head for her present position and assist her in escaping the _Woglinde_. There is not much time. Please board the craft and depart immediately." She remained silent and still after that, waiting for his response.

Another shake of his head. "Let me go with you."

The response was instant: "That is unacceptable. You would be a liability in any potential combat situation. It would be better to depart and rendezvous at a later time."

_Like hell I'm going to leave the Chief behind._ Allen squared his shoulders bravely. "Listen, your startup was unorthodox to say the least. If the Chief saw you she might do something drastic, thinking his was a repeat of your previous startup. If I go with you and she sees I'm fine, she'll know you can be trusted." He wondered if she could detect the tremor in his limbs. _Please let her agree_, he hoped fervently.

_Running request through basic logic parameters. _

_Comparing with predetermined basic human response database._

_Request…acceptable._

"My logic algorithms have determined that your request is acceptable. However, please remain near me and do not move ahead. Maintain at least a seven foot distance from any gnosis, further if possible." She made it sound easy.

He nodded. "All right, I think I can manage that." He looked back at the training ship, nodding to Togashi as he closed the hatch. _Take care_, that look said.

KOS-MOS made no move for a moment, then turned around and headed for the escape pods, looking back when he asked her what she was doing. "I am ensuring that one escape pod will remain here until Shion Uzuki is found, at which point we will escort her back to this location." She didn't bother to add that "ensuring" meant sabotaging the air supply; he didn't need to know.

"Well, as soon as you're done with that, we'd better get moving." God, he almost sounded excited.

She nodded, once. "Agreed."


End file.
